A Little Bit of Curry Goes a Long Way

Nothing is more satisfying than farmers' market fresh vegetables. Usually I'm completely happy relying on olive oil, sea salt, and pepper when I saute, grill, or roast the great bounty of summer vegetables.

Do carrots, broccoli, asparagus, fennel, peas, string beans, tomatoes, squash, and potatoes really need elaborate sauces to bring out their flavors?

The Italians get it right, in my opinion. Buy the best ingredients and get out of the way.

And yet, there are times when a little more spice or a variety of flavors is needed to reinvigorate the palate.  A few drops of fresh citrus juice, a dusting of cayenne, a sprig of fresh rosemary, or a drizzle of nam pla can transform the familiar into the exciting.

Authentic Indian curries are complex combinations of a dozen spices and herbs. An easy-to-make version for every day use can be made with a packaged curry powder or pulled together with five basic elements: fresh garlic, turmeric, cumin, coriander, and coconut milk.  

Keep the curry vegetarian if you want or add poultry, seafood, or meat.  The choice is yours.  Since my wife doesn't eat poultry or meat, but I do, I start with vegetables and spices to build the flavors, make her portion, then add meat for mine.  That way we're both happy.

The best part is that an affordable and delicious meal can be prepared in 30 minutes or less.

Basic Curry

Use whatever fresh vegetables you enjoy. For stock, homemade is best, as much for flavor as for avoiding excess salt.  It's easy enough to make chicken or vegetable stock and freeze it.

A side note: with the vegetable peelings, make a stock by putting them into a pot with 4 cups water, simmer 30 minutes, run through a food mill, and collect the liquid and solids to use for the curry or freeze to use when needed.

Find an organic coconut milk that doesn't use chemical preservatives.  Freeze what you don't use for later use.

Yield: 4 servings

Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 onion, peeled, roughly chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled, finely chopped

1 cup Italian parsley, washed, finely chopped, leaves only

4 carrots, washed, peeled, cut into thick rounds

1 large Yukon gold potato, washed, peeled, roughly chopped

1 head of broccoli, washed, florets cut into bite sized pieces, stems peeled and chopped

2 cups mushrooms, brown or shiitake, washed, thin sliced

1 corn on the cob, husk and silk removed, washed, kernels removed

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon cumin

1 cup coconut milk

2 cups liquid, water or stock

2 tablespoons olive oil

Sea salt and pepper

Method

In a large saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and saute the vegetables until lightly browned.  Remove.  Add the other tablespoon of olive oil and saute the garlic and spices until lightly browned.  Return the vegetables to the pan and toss well.

Pour in the liquid (water or stock) and coconut milk.  Stir well to deglaze the pan and combine the flavors.  Simmer on a medium-high heat for 15 minutes.  Taste and adjust seasoning with sea salt and pepper.

Serve with rice, pasta, or steamed spinach.

Curry with Sausage and Chicken

Including meat in the dish adds only 5 minutes to the preparation time.  Leftover meat can also be put to good use here.

Yield: 4 servings

Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

2 Italian sausages, cut into rounds or bite sized pieces

1 chicken breast, cooked, cut into bite sized pieces

1 onion, peeled, roughly chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled, finely chopped

1 cup Italian parsley, washed, finely chopped, leaves only

4 carrots, washed, peeled, cut into thick rounds

1 large Yukon gold potato, washed, peeled, roughly chopped

1 head of broccoli, washed, florets cut into bite sized pieces, stems peeled and chopped

2 cups mushrooms, brown or shiitake, washed, thin sliced

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon cumin

1 cup coconut milk

2 cups liquid, water or stock

2 tablespoons olive oil

Sea salt and pepper

Method

In a large saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and saute the sausage and chicken until lightly browned.  Remove.  

In the same pan saute the vegetables until lightly browned.  Remove.  Add the other tablespoon of olive oil and saute the garlic and spices until lightly browned.  Return the meat and vegetables to the pan and toss well.

Pour in the liquid (water or stock) and coconut milk. Stir well to deglaze the pan and combine the flavors. Simmer on a medium-high heat for 15 minutes.  Taste and adjust seasoning with sea salt and pepper.

Serve with rice, pasta, or steamed spinach.

Variations

Add one large ripe tomato, washed, roughly chopped

Add 1/4 teaspoon cayenne for heat

Add tofu cut into bite sized pieces

Add 1 package of spinach, washed, stems finely chopped, whole leaves after you add the liquid

Add 1 pound raw shrimp, washed, shelled, deveined in the last 5 minutes of cooking

Add 3 cups fresh clams or mussels, washed, with the stock and coconut milk

Add 2 cups roughly chopped green or red cabbage to the vegetable saute

Add 2 Japanese egg plants, washed, stem removed, roughly chopped to the vegetable saute

Add 1 cup raw cashews to the vegetable saute

Add 1 tablespoon ginger, peeled, finely minced

One-Sided Quesadillas

Traditionally quesadillas are a simple combination of a warm tortilla folded over hot melted cheese. When our kids were young, they made an easy to make after-school snack. By adding toppings the quesadilla turns into a fiesta of flavors. Since the quesadilla cooks quickly in a trying pan, the toppings should be pre-cooked, much the same way they are on pizzas.

Besides being easy and quick to make, quesadillas are also a great way to use left-overs. Roast chicken, steak, fish fillets, and grilled vegetables work well under a thin layer of melted cheese.

By only using one side of the quesadilla, you save on calories and improve the flavor.

One-Sided Quesadillas

The basic quesadilla is a toasted tortilla topped with melted cheese, with hot sauce or salsa added for flavor.  Kids love them, so do adults.

Yield: 4 servings

Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

4 tortillas, corn or flour

1/4 pound cheese, cheddar, muenster, jack

2 scallions, washed, ends removed, finely chopped (optional)

Method

Heat a frying pan or griddle on a medium-high flame. Cut each tortilla into quarters. Put each piece on the griddle, topped with thin slices of cheese. Cover with a piece of aluminum foil or a lid for 5 minutes.

Remove, sprinkle with chopped scallions (optional), and serve with hot sauce or salsa.

Quesadillas with Toppings

We've tried Italian sausage rounds, grilled vegetables (carrots, broccoli, and corn), shredded roast chicken, grilled sliced shrimp, thin slices of tomato, thin slices of steak... Just about any cooked meat or vegetable could be put on a quesadilla.

Grill, Baby, Grill: An Easy Summer Pasta with Grilled Corn and Black Kale

Now that corn has reappeared in the farmers' markets, it's time to grill, baby, grill.

Boiled corn slathered with sweet butter and seasoned with sea salt and pepper is delicious.  So too is grilled corn where olive oil replaces butter.  Lightly browned, the kernels caramelize, adding sweetness and the hint of smoke.

Make extra, so the kernels can be removed and used in green salads, salsas, and--my favorite--pastas.

Tuscan or black kale is widely available in the farmers' markets in large, inexpensive bunches.

Adding in mushrooms, onions, garlic, a pat of butter and you're ready to enjoy a delicious lunch or dinner that needs little more than a simple romaine or arugula salad, a glass of wine or an ice cold beer, and you'll have a memorable meal with no more effort and time than it would take to order take out.

Pasta with Grilled Corn and Black Kale

Yield: 4 servings

Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

2 ears of corn, husk and silks removed, washed

2 links, Italian sausage, washed (optional)

1 medium yellow onion, washed, skin removed, root end and top cut off and discarded, roughly chopped

2 garlic cloves, skins removed, finely chopped

1/2 pound shiitake or brown mushrooms, washed, dried, sliced

1 bunch Tuscan or black kale, washed, center stem removed, leaves roughly chopped1/2 box DeCecco pasta, gnocchi, penne, spaghetti, or bowties

1 tablespoon sweet butter

1 cup pasta water

1/4 cup olive oil

Sea salt and black pepper

Grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

Method

If a grill is not available, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Pour the olive oil on a flat plate. Season with sea salt and pepper.  Roll the corn through the seasoned oil to coat.  Put on the grill or into the oven, turning every 5 minutes to prevent burning.

Do the same with the Italian sausage.  Roll in the seasoned olive oil and grill or roast.  For vegetarians, don't bother with the sausage.

While the corn and sausage are cooking, put a large pot of water on a high flame, seasoned with 2 tablespoons of kosher or sea salt.  Don't use ordinary table salt which has a metallic flavor.

While the pasta water is heating, saute the onions, garlic, mushrooms, and kale until softened.  If you want the kale more pliable, add 1/4 cup of water and braise for 5 minutes on a medium-high flame.

Put the pasta into the boiling water and stir every couple of minutes to prevent sticking.  Use the whole box if you want more pasta.

Cut the kernels off the corn and discard the cobs.  Finely chop or cut into rounds the Italian sausage. Add to the kale, together with the sweet butter.  Toss well.

Taste the pasta.  Drain and reserve 1 cup of pasta water.  Put the pasta back in the still warm pot, drizzle with olive oil and season with sea salt and pepper.  Toss well.  Set aside.

Add 1/4 cup of the pasta water to the vegetables and sausage.  Stir well and taste.  Adjust seasoning as desired.  If more sauce is desired, add a little more of the pasta water.

Pour the cooked pasta into the saute, toss well, adding another 1/4 cup of pasta water.  Serve in a large bowl, accompanied with freshly grated cheese.

Variations

Grill or roast a red pepper, discard the seeds and skin, finely chop, add 1/4 cup to the saute.

Add 2 tablespoons chopped, pitted green olives to the saute.